Smart Phone StudioInformative ● Short ● Sharable

Michele Walfred

Communications Specialist

Mid-Atlantic Women in Agriculture

Video Rules! • Your history & your values

• Introduce your staff

• Take audience on a tour

• Feature your products

• Did you know…• How to’s

• Specials and promotions

• Live Feeds

Shorter is better

1-3 minutes!

Divide longer videos into chapters

Short is better!

• Begin with a “hook”

• What question is this answering?

• What problem is being solved?

• Get to the point quickly.

• Ten 2-minute videos is better than one 20-minute video

Definitions

Lower Third. This is the title bar that appears on the bottom of the image. Some call it a caption. You can create a custom lower third fairly easily.

Bug. This is a small, transparent background logo that you shrink at put in a corner of the video to brand your video throughout. All TV networks have them. Watermark.

B-Roll. AKA File Footage. 10-15 seconds of video, usually with the sound removed that drops in behind the narration.

Stills. Photos that can be dropped in and appear seamlessly to break up a talking head or serves as a type of special interest slide show. Landscape works better.

Talent/Talking Head. Person being interviewed, primary subject, may also be narrator. Primary voice over and content.

Platforms• YouTube. No time limit.

– Free channel with a Gmail account– Playlists are sub chapters– YouTube as a search engine– Easy to embed in WordPress & websites– Analytics

• Facebook– No time limit. – Facebook will deliver to a bigger audience if video is directly uploaded

• Twitter– Direct upload (preferred) allows for 2 minutes and 20 seconds or 140 seconds

• Instagram– Limit of 1-minute in length– Does not accept links to YouTube

Two Conditions that Makes Smart Phone Video Unprofessional

• Human handling! Get your phone out of your hands and in a – selfie stick, monopod, tripod, or stabilizer such as a gimbal– shoot horizontal!!!!

• Sound. Your phone’s built-in mic is great in a small room where there are low ceilings and acoustical absorption, e.g., cushioned furniture, curtains and rugs.– Smartphone mics are terrible outside!– Smartphone mics have wide angles that pick up ambient sound (traffic, fan

motors, other people’s phones going off, etc.)

B-Roll is the Secret Sauce to Success!BUILD A B-ROLL LIBRARY! Only needs to be 10-15 seconds each

• Use the downtime to film stock scenes you can use now or later• Animals: Animals approaching you and investigating your phone, Animals in their

natural setting• Equipment: tractors, planters, harvesters, machines, wide and close up shots• Crops: (growing, blowing in the wind) close ups or wide shots• Process: hands picking, packing, grooming, pruning, cleaning, etc. Close ups and

wide shots• Family: Emphasize the family. Children & chores, outside scenes, behind the

scenes• Other: Scenic shots, pollinators, sunsets, building exteriors, different weather

situations, signs,

Flimic Pro

Works with both Android and iOS. Preferred app for highest quality, pro-quality video from your phone.

I highly recommend you watch this video:

https://youtu.be/EIRmCL4pTFQ

https://youtu.be/kgmY7EifGzc

Note how the canola fields often appear in a soft focus, or out of focus in the close up shots of the subject talking. This technique using depth of field can be achieved by one of the recommended phone apps such as MoviePro, FilmMicPro or Cinema FV-5. This technique cannot be achieved from your native video app.

https://youtu.be/izfPHB4UzG0

In this example, camera has subject in focus, background is softly blurred. Again, your native phone video app will not be able to achieve this look. It can be best achieved on another app, such as FilmMic Pro.

Subject also appears to be in a shadow. This effort would be improved if a white reflector was used during filming to help fill in the shadows.

https://youtu.be/ZhKIxXlMIB8

This is an example of do it yourself, where you are host and videographer. Not professional, but this can work if you want your style to be informal. It helps when the subject/talent/host is well-prepared, funny or entertaining. It is a very personal technique.

https://youtu.be/UkD9wBVF0-I

A superb example of a soft opening using b-roll of the family. Subject is in a natural pose.

This video was likely recorded professionally using a boon (overhead) microphone.

A corded or lavalier mic will duplicate the pro sound. Subject might need to change attire so there is a place to clip the microphone.

A good condenser microphone will also work.

https://youtu.be/7hvguDi9xho

Good effort. Videographer used b-roll, but sound appears tinny with an echo. An auxiliary microphone would help.

Lower thirdsCustom Lower Third

Generic Lower Third

Bug

https://youtu.be/_DpKkSp5w6M

My intern from 2015 and 2016, Jackie Arpie, created this video for our Extension staff to explain how videos are put together.

Smartphones

• Record in 1080 HD

• Differences are in zoom and audio

– Digital zoom. Zooming reduces quality

– Cropping (zooming) can be done in editing.

• Record in landscape mode

• Use a tripod & monopod for stability

• Use an external microphoneTurn everything off when you are recording. Make sure your subjects phones are off! No ringer. No vibrate!

Your Phone• HD:Shoots in 1080p• Newer models in 4K• Sound is weak point• Wind shear• Orientation

What orientation do you use depends on:• Where you want it played• Your skills at editing• Your editing software• Square performs best but requires

editing knowledge• If you want square, film it in square.

Change your camera settings to a square ratio e.g., 1080 x 1080

Square orientation is typically used for short ad delivery and it is designed for a mobile audience.

Who is viewing and what do their screen shapes look like?

Types of Microphones

• Corded lavalier. Great sound. Microphone is placed on subject mid-chest range. Cord will limit distance between videographer & subject

• Wireless lavalier• Plug in condenser microphone

– See handout– Make sure the microphone works with video and audio and not just audio

recordings!!!

SOUNDANDROID

• Headphone Jack! Yes!

IOS

• < IPhone 6 = YES• >iPhone 7 = NO

– Adapter $9 – GET ONLY THE

APPLE BRAND!!!

Plug In Microphones

Rode Lavalier SmartLav+

• https://youtu.be/Q0dRVx_BmtQ Rode SmartLav is compatible with both Android and iOS phones. It requires plugging in to your headphone jack (adapter needed for newer model iPhones).

Provides superb, professional sound.But videographer and subject will be connected through a wire.

● Hide lapel mic and wire under clothing● Recommend purchasing an additional 20’ for approximately

$25.

Videographers• Avoid windy days!

• Be aware of background

• Use rule of thirds

• Compose the shot

• Place microphone in lower

corner/upper chest.

• Rule of thirds

• Decide on a tight (close up of face)

Medium (head and shoulder/upper chest) or long shot (fuller body).

• Decide on composition. Do not vary or zoom while person is speaking. You can combine wide to close up but do this during a planned “cut.”

• Keep camera on subject for the foundation footage

VideographersEditors will likely add in “b-roll” and still photo “cutaways” in post production. Give the editors choices.

• Did the subject refer to something close to them, their background, such as a plant?

• Film plants mentioned in a separate cut, e.g., 15 – 20 seconds of each flower or plant.

• Ask subject if they have photos of any specifics mentioned

• Take still shots

• Pan slowly if showing a room or a wider area

• Record more b-roll than you think you will need

• Take still pictures if applicable. Landscape or horizontal orientation please.

• Pan b-roll slowly. Don’t zoom…• …pan tight shots separately.

Directing the subject• Ask them to introduce themselves, spell

their name (do not assume!) and their title. This is for the editor and not part of the video. Record this information and set it aside. Hard cut. Start over with main video.

• Begin with a “hook” – a question or problem that needs to be solved

• Watch for grimaces, eye rolling, signs of stress in face or body language.

• Lead them with questions

• Answers should context the question

• Pause between Q & A

• Encourage subject.

• Encourage natural breaks in sentences. These can be edited out.

• Remind subject to look into camera and smile for fade out.

• Keep them to a time limit.

• Bring a white board for a script or for keywords

• Pay attention to blocking & background

• Street noise can be a problem

Videographer & director

• Videographer Q: What surprised you about today’s workshop? What will you do differently after taking this course today?

• [few seconds pause]

• Subject A: Taking this “XXXXX” workshop, I was surprised to learn that ______. From now on I am going to make XYZ change.

Head and Shoulders. Medium tight shot. Our 1st choice,

Tight shot. Good for 60 Minutes but not your video

Too far and distant. Might be good composition for b-roll however

Upper body - 2nd choice

Typical blocking

This composition, medium-tight shot is the most flattering. It avoids fidgety hands, stomach and waist shots, Wider or tighter shots can be added but not within a Q & A sequence.

For the subject/host• Keep the topic short and specific

• More short videos better than one long rambling video

• Smile passively into the camera when finished.

• Do not read your script!!

• Do not introduce yourself, and what you do. This will appear as a caption. Get to the point immediately. The first 10 seconds are imperative. Why would someone want to continue watching?

• Be aware of your time limit. You may have only 45 seconds.

• Wear branded clothing if possible/appropriate

• Avoid pinstripes on apparel

• Your video may be recorded in stages

• Provide any original still pictures you have taken

• If you mention something that is close by and can be filmed for b-roll, advise the videographer

Pay attention to the background!

• Company or organization’s brand visible?

• At desk shots - check bulletin boards for phone numbers, names, confidential information, politics, religion, items written on calendar, etc.

• Titles of books?• Messy room?

Branding & Misc.• Create an opening & closing slate or bumper.

PowerPoint is ideal for this!

• Logo should be transparent in a .png format

• Do not use copyrighted music!

– iTunes purchases do not count!

– Public domain music vs royalty free

• Royalty free must appear as a credit & in description on youtube or on video.

● Royalty free can be used but requires you credit the composer and that you are using under a Royalty Free license. You can credit with a brief mention in video and or in a description or caption where the video appears.

● Public domain music does not require providing credit. When in doubt, provide attribution for the source.

CreativeCommons. org is an excellent source of images and music you can use.

https://youtu.be/M7o7VB9nMBI

Use of gimbals for stabilization.

Found this entire video extremely informative.

Gimbals

3-Axis gimbal is best. They are excellent to use if the videographer is on the move. See video slide.

For more information

• Lessons on editing via Zoom

• Are you interested in a Wednesday Webinar on this topic or on editing? Let us know!

• Walfred@udel.edu